Dreams of a Black Rose
by teawithmugi
Summary: On dark wings she flies, wings as broken as she is, and on a broken house she dwells. Suigintou's shattered world breaks apart around her and the roses mock her imperfection. But they will all know her pain and suffer as she did. She would accept nothing less.
1. Home

In her dark, secluded corner she dreamed of what could be. There was no calmer place than the old, forgotten church. Beaten and broken it might be, but it was still her home. Beaten and broken as I am, Suigintou thought.

It was home, but it was still lonely. Empty, dead inside, a place not truly fit for anyone. Junk. The word resonated on her mind, as it did every night. She was the broken one, the inferior creation, the unwanted. And when she looked at her surroundings, she was reminded of her imperfection, as even her home reflected her nature. Her sisters live in houses of gold and love, and here she stands by herself among the crumbling ruins.

She screamed as these thoughts overwhelmed her mind. She clawed at her face until anger replaced her despair. She left her ruined home and looked at the night sky, with not a single star to be seen. Even the moon was obscured by clouds.

Close to her home was Megu's. The hospital was certainly older than the chapel, but it was just as hollow. By now Megu surely was asleep in her house of death and pain. Suigintou couldn't hear a thing in the proximity; it was as if the world had fallen into a deep slumber but she was still awake, left behind.

Suigintou sat outside her medium's window. Megu seemed so peaceful. That bothered Suigintou so much. How she wished her medium would stop being so resigned to her fate, show some rage and indignation. You're broken, that's undeniable, but you don't need to be so comformed.

"Angel?"

"Oh, I didn't think you were awake."

"I can't sleep tonight, so I was just resting my eyes and thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Nothing, really. Just reminiscing."

"You shouldn't. Thinking about the past never makes anyone happy."

"I know," she closed her eyes once more. "I just can't help it, that's all."

Suigintou turned back to stare at the cloudy sky. From time to time she could listen to the faint sound of cars in the distance, but nothing more. Megu's breathing was all she could really hear.

"How do you expect me not to brood so much if you're so silent, angel? When it's this quiet it's just so easy to remember all the things you wish you'd just forget."

"I don't have anything to say. Small talk doesn't suit me."

"And when did I say that I just wanted to make small talk with you? I don't want to talk about the weather or sports or about how pretty the hospital's garden is. Not with you. There is much more I'd like to talk about with you."

No, child, you don't.

"I think you should try to sleep."

"Really?" Megu seemed disappointed. There was a deep sadness in her eyes, one that wasn't very evident. Suigintou avoided looking at them. "Fine. Goodnight, angel, even though you probably won't sleep."

The girl slowly closed her eyes, but Suigintou could tell she was still awake. She couldn't force Megu to sleep, so she just watched the sky. She chose to stay by Megu's window tonight, feeling sorry about her being so alone. And so that she herself wouldn't have to feel alone as well.

Soon it started raining, but Suigintou sought no shelter. She just stood there, water dripping on her dress, her face soaked and her wings wet and heavy. She stood a silent watch all night, and when she got used to the sound of the falling rain, she reminisced.


	2. Reminiscence

The world was weeping when she first clawed her way out of the box. A lifetime locked away, dreaming, that was all she had. Her dreams were dark, full of omens of death and suffering. In her dreams her hate burned for decades, and her need for vengeance, but so did her longing for Father.

When the box opened for the first time in a century, a storm raged. Suigintou was greeted by the cold and the falling rain. She was dazed, unsure of where she was, where to go and what to do. She could tell she was a in a city, but it seemed so different from the one she lived ages before. The loud noises disorientated and terrified her, and strange horseless carriages were everywhere, their shrieking painful to Suigintou's ears.

She closed the box as fast as she could, wishing she could return to her dreams. The rain had submerged her case, and it was halfway covered in freezing water. Suigintou laid down, the water touching her face and soaking her clothes. No, please, don't, Father made these, she pleaded with a shaking voice, and cried, alone, stuck in this watery cradle being rocked by the flood.

Her pleas did her no good, and she fell asleep after hours of weeping. She dreamt of emptiness; this time she didn't feel the warmth and love of father, nor did she hear the screams of agony of her despised sisters. She felt herself being ripped apart, breaking, her crumbled pieces turning to dust until she was nothing. This was the first time she felt nothingness, and when she finally woke up, she grasped at her own chest and touched her face to make sure she still existed. When she did, Suigintou felt great relief until she realized that she was still lost and alone.

The water had taken her away from the city to a place that felt far more comfortable. These woods were calm and beautiful, and Suigintou closed her eyes and sighed in delight. She felt the aroma of flowers nearby, a scent she found relaxing. She poured the stagnant water of her box onto a nearby pond. She could only hope that her precious case hadn't been too damaged, but it seemed fine to her. Her dress was still drenched, though, so she removed it for a while to let it dry.

Suigintou would eventually learn that place was a park, often visited by people, and that she had risked quite a lot by staying there in the open, by herself, but then she didn't knew, and so she laid down on the soft grass and watched the sky as she listened to nature. A moment of peace, at last.

Soon she got dressed again, her clothes dry but still feeling a little strange. She then explored the park, taking in the lovely sights until she finally found a lush garden. She had a great smile on her face as she tried to identify them. She knew the names of the obvious ones, the daisies and the violets, but the names of the others she couldn't tell. All she knew she had learned from Shinku. Shinku. She started to grind her teeth when she remembered her damned sister, and she remembered all the lies and the betrayal.

She never cared, all she felt was pity, no more, she only wanted to feel superior, she tricked me. All the thoughts rushed in, and when she looked to her right and saw bright red roses shining in the brush, her mind shifted to a single thought: retribution. She drew her sword and hacked away at them, petals flying around like blood.

"Angel?"

Suigintou suddenly returned from her reminiscence, still a bit confused. The rain was still falling, thought it was already dying down.

"I told you to sleep."

"I couldn't. Angel, are you alright?"

"Why would you think I'm not?"

"You were crying, weren't you?"

"Yes," she hesitated, "I was. Is that a problem?"

"No, not really. I'm glad you're telling me that. You'd never admit it, before. Does that mean you've grown fond of me, that you trust me?"

"Believe whatever you will, it makes no difference to me."

"Well, I'd be very happy if you said you like me. If you said I'm not just your medium, but your friend."

"Fine. I'm fond of you, yes, and I enjoy your company. Does that make you happy?"

"Yes, it does," Megu smiled.

Then I'm happy as well.

* * *

_Slight deviations from canon from here on. Nothing too major, but it's inevitable when expanding on character's origins. Hopefully it's not bothersome._


	3. Crystal

"I'm sorry I called you junk."

Suigintou still couldn't get those words out of her mind. She couldn't really decide how she felt about that. Shinku was still her enemy, an obstacle in the way of becoming Alice and making Father happy, and hatred still burned in her heart. But now she couldn't get rid of that bothersome feeling that she might not really have to despise Shinku.

In her dreams she reflected silently amidst the devastation of her N-field. Alone she ruled this dead city inhabited by broken dolls, and alone she lived. She lamented that she couldn't be like all the other broken puppets, stuck in eternal darkness, unaware of their own pitiful existence. If I am broken, why must I still live? All the other broken ones are dead, and the living laugh at me. Is this why I live, so that others may be better than me?

She has certainly spent far too much time with Megu, she concluded, bitterly, and she punched a nearby window, getting glass stuck on her hand. Then she felt a chill.

Suigintou looked behind, and saw the seventh maiden impassively staring at her with her piercing eye. She didn't seem to notice Suigintou's shock, and and if she did, she didn't appear to care.

"Are you always like this?"

Barasuishou simply stood there, silent, still staring.

"Do I have to stab you to make you talk?"

"Do I have to stab you?"

This again. Her other sisters were simply abhorrent. This one was abhorrent and aggravating.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have taken measures to ensure the Alice Game will occur and will start soon. And you may have your revenge as well. Not against Shinku, not yet, but against Souseiseki."

She hated to be even reminded of Souseiseki. They called Suigintou cruel, but what of the one that chopped her in half moments after meeting her? This was all her fault as well.

"And I'm sure you want me to kill her because you can't do it yourself. All you do is talk."

There was no response. Barasuishou looked up and inspected the dreamscape.

"Do you ever feel jealous?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do. Even your N-field is imperfect, inadequate. Your sisters have palaces and beautiful dreamlands, and you have crumbling ruins."

"I don't feel any jealousy at all."

"Is it anger, then?"

"I just don't think it's fair, that's all. All of you have been blessed all your lives, while I'm damaged. You don't deserve any of this, you haven't earned this, and if you're all entitled to it, then why am I not?"

Barasuishou smirked, or at least Suigintou thought that was supposed to be a smirk. Then she realized she said too much.

"Damn you. That's none of your business, really."

"It isn't. But you chose to tell me. I take it that you do want to open to someone. That would make you feel better, wouldn't it, to say all the things you ever wanted to, but always held back inside?"

Maybe.

"No. I don't need anyone, and my feelings don't get in my way, so it makes no difference."

"I see."

"What do you even know about feelings, you freak? Why would I even want to talk about these things with you?"

"I never said I wanted to listen. But maybe your medium does."

"She's just a dying girl. She means nothing to me."

"But you still see yourself in her. Or rather, how you'd be like if you didn't have your hatred to guide you."

This was true, Suigintou knew it, but she refused to tell Barasuishou she was correct.

"I already said I don't care. She's going to die, and I'll make it happen faster. That's all there is."

"But what if I told you that you can make her better?"

"You'd be lying."

"I have no reason to lie, as I don't care about her. But perhaps you do."

"How can I cure her if all her doctors failed to do so all her life?"

"Awaken the magic within our hearts and you may perform miracles. With the Rosae Mysticae in us, you could do anything you wish."

"I have a Rosa Mystica, and can't cure her. It's not as powerful as you say."

"That's because you have only one, and are already using it to sustain your body. If you acquire others, you may save her. Fix her."

Does Megu even want that? Would she like to be saved if she had the chance, or would she simply prefer to die anyway? Suigintou asked herself if she'd like to be fixed, to be complete like the others, but she couldn't decide. Her imperfection made her stronger than the others, and she was far too proud to accept being saved by someone else. But still, she wished that once, just once, she didn't have to feel inferior. I'll save her, she decided.

"Perhaps I should take your Rosa Mystica too, then."

"But you can't do it. Strike at the sisters that have hurt you, instead. The ones that called you broken."

I will, she thought, but said nothing. Barasuishou approached her as an ally, but couldn't be trusted, and Suigintou knew it was wiser to not reveal much to her. When she looked away, her sister was gone.

She was alone again in her broken dream. She felt lucky, in a way. Not only could she save her medium, she'd have her revenge. She thought of her sisters' palaces and pretty dreams. Soon they would be broken was well.


End file.
